Ripples
by Chibbstick
Summary: The smallest drop of rainwater can cause countless ripples, and in the Ninja world one action could have unforeseeable consequences that no one could ever have had thought possible
1. Chapter 1

**Don't own Naruto and all that jazz**

**I don't mean for this to take over the other story, just struggling to juggle writing with other stuff**

**This story will also be finished but will be mainly only be used as filler for the other one, as I have a lot of this one already written**

**Sorry chaps!**

**I will really try harder to do stuff for the other and update it ASAP**

* * *

**Chapter 1- Aftermath**

Naruto walked slowly through the forest back towards Konoha, his breaths where labored and slow.

He leaned against a tree and slowly slipped downwards, he just hadn't the energy to stop himself, and his exhaustion was far too great.

Naruto ground his teeth and waited for the taste of grit and soil that was about to fill his mouth, but it never came. Instead he opened his eyes to reveal that his head had come to rest on the shoulder of a Jonin jacket.

"Good job" said Kakashi as Naruto slowly raised his head,

"Kakashi Sensei" he managed.

"Lean on me Naruto" he said with both concern and relief.

Naruto complied and slumped holey onto his shoulders. Kakashi eased him up so that he could carry him, and they began their walk back through the woods of Konoha, as they walked, Kakashi glanced at Naruto who was spaced out and had a content smile on his face.

"He has gotten heavy" thought Kakashi as they came to the border of the leaf village.

* * *

A loud cheering met the two as they exited the woods which perked Naruto's interest

"Hmm?" he though aloud. As they crested the hill, he caught sight of the whole of Konoha cheering his name.

"Welcome home!" shouted one man;

"I knew you could do it!" shouted another.

Kakashi lowered Naruto onto the ground and steadied him with his hand.

Naruto stood perplexed to the crowd, Kakashi smiling softly beneath his mask "They've all been awaiting your return Naruto-you did well" said Kakashi placing his other hand on his shoulder.

A crowd of children ran to greet Naruto and began bombarding him with questions his mind was too overcome to take; he stood puzzled-

"What is this feeling?" he thought. His friends began walking towards him, Sakura in the lead, she practically ran up to him

"You reckless idiot!" she shouted before cuffing him around the head, as he fell forward, she hugged him tightly and then she understood that she had been worried about him the whole time.

She released him gently and he looked around his friends with fogged over eyes, they stood around him with smiles all around, congratulating him, all but one.

"Hinata" he breathed "Hinata is she alright?!" he burst out looking around again frantically, tears beginning to sting his eyes.

"Naruto...I-I'm fine" came a small voice from behind Kiba, he and Shino parted and she stood there beaming with happiness with a distinct pink flush about her face.

He hurried to her just to check for himself if she seemed fine, her wound through her chest he has seen Pein inflict on her before he was overtaken with anguish was completely gone, she looked perfectly healthy.

He sniffed deeply and rubbed his eyes, tears falling in earnest.

"I'm so happy..." Naruto said quietly and he face too began to flush a crimson colour.

He was just about to add something when the rush of the crowd reached him and began tossing him about in the air like the true hero that he was.

* * *

Naruto turned in his bed, switching his pillows to get the cold side once again. Two things had been bothering him, one was the promise he made to Pein before his passing.

"How do I achieve global peace on the shinobi world...?" Naruto thought aloud.

"If only Ero-Sanin was still around, he'd know how to start".

He thought for a long while before turning over clockwise again onto his front. The other matter that bothered him, Hinata, she had told him she had loved him just before the finale in the fight against Pein.

"Does she really actually like me?" he said quietly, "After all the time I've known her, that nervousness she had around me...and...It flew completely over my head this whole time..."

Naruto blushed inwardly and his chest tightened somewhat, what could he say to her, he had never spoken of love to anyone before...except without receiving a large punch in the face and a follow up lecture about how cool and sexy Sasuke was.

"Sasuke" he said in monotone before rubbing his eyes and snuggling up into his sheets again, "What are you doing right now Sasuke...?".

Sasuke walked along the forest track, his team following in his wake, Karin, ever arguing with Suigestsu and Jugo carrying on his pointless pursuit of calming the two down.

He approached the sign at the junction and eyed them intently in the moonlight night.

Without a sound he turned down the left route and kept walking, his features solid and his heart cold.

"I'm coming Itachi, you will pay for what you have done" he thought, as the four outcasts disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: *I do not own Naruto k?***

**-AN-**

**Unfortunately**** the pen drive I had my stories stored on (about 20k words combined between the two stories) broke due to 'corruption' apparently :/ I have been attempting to retrieve them but so far I only managed to get this one chapter back, the other stuff doesn't look like its retrievable but yeah I have to re write a good few chapters, some of which I can never get back how I wrote them.**

**I'll upload the first story chapter as soon as it is finished, youhave been waiting long enough ^^**

* * *

**Chapter 2-The way to begin**

**-Three weeks later-**

Naruto awoke to a heavy rapping on his door; he sat up groggily and looked to his alarm clock '8:30' it read, and he began to stagger to his door whilst rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Who could that be at this time?" he thought to himself.

The moment he placed his hand on the handle, the door burst in and Sakura slammed him into the wall with one hand and held onto the door with the other.

"Where have you been!" she began, "You where supposed to be at the front gate an hour ago, even Kakashi was there before you, and that is saying something!", she lowered Naruto to the floor ignoring his stunned expression, "Get something to eat and get on down there fast before Lady Tsunade buries you alive" she finished.

Naruto gulped hard, he knew that the Hokage would surely follow up on this if he took too long.

As soon as Sakura had left he ran backwards into his room, flipping on his kettle as he scooted past and got changed into his attire.

* * *

Naruto walked slowly back into the village several hours later, a lead on Sasuke's where-a-bouts being another false alarm and the rest of team seven and eight filed back in and began heading back to their respectful homes.

Hinata walked past him about five minutes later and he took in a deep breath before speeding up a little to walk next to her.

"Uh, hey H-Hinata" he began in a quiet voice, even so she tensed a little and looked at him slowly, the red already creeping onto her pretty features.

"Uh hello, Naruto..." she replied just as quietly, "I hadn't noticed you by me..." her face said otherwise however.

The sun had pretty much gone down and her pearly eyes shone in the moonlight with a brilliance that he had never seen before, Naruto gulped and his guts knotted themselves tenfold.

"I was um...going to ask you, would you like to go and...get some ramen with me...tomorrow night at Ichiraku's", now it was Naruto's turn to glow, as Hinata looked at his brilliant serene blue eyes that made him look so very handsome, almost eclipsed however by the crimson hue fast layering his face.

He began teasing his fingers as she has so often done, and suddenly she understood and her eyes went as large as dinner plates, thankfully he was looking at his fingers now.

"Uh I-uh, I'm sorry Naruto. I'm training with Kiba tomorrow most of the day" she said regrettably.

"U-um, well...the day after then?" he tried hopefully, his heartbeat slowed as he awaited a response.

"Again Naruto, I'm...helping Lady Shizune with her work". Naruto looked degraded and downtrodden and looked down with a sudden glumness that had draped itself over his form.

"Okay then Hinata. I-I guess I'll...see you around..." and he began to break off from her.

"Umm" she said, a little louder than usual, he turned back to her with hope in his eyes, "w-would you like, to go for some with me...now...instead?" she smiled a little to herself with her building confidence and looked down at her hands, that were now also teasing each other.

"U-uh...sure..." he hadn't expected this, he had thought that maybe his mind had been simply been playing tricks on him, and that maybe she had said it at the time to give him hope whilst fighting Pein.

But no, she had genuine feeling for him. Much to his surprise, he felt much the same for her, after much thinking he had accepted that Sakura just wasn't looking for someone like him; she had her own love to chase.

But Naruto, he had never felt quite like this before, his chest felt warm and snugly, but at the same time made him feel like sagging out of nervousness. He took a deep breath for the second time that day and smiled the largest smile he could manage under the circumstances and approached her side.

"Okay then" he said a little more confidently, "We had best be making our way there then before the old man thinks we aren't coming".

Hinata raised an eyebrow "H-He is expecting us?" she asked inquisitively. Naruto's eyes flew wide and tried desperately to come up with an excuse that didn't make him seem like he had planned on her accepting.

"Uh n-no, but I told him a while back how much my friends would love his ramen so I told him to u-uh always keep an extra bowl warm" he laughed nervously.

Hinata didn't look like she bought it so he picked up the pace into a run, "U-uh race you there!"

"Naruto, w-what's the hurry?"She managed as he sped off with Hinata close behind.

As they approached, Naruto slowed down quickly to complete stillness on the corner.

Hinata, who hadn't the time to stop crashed into his back "Wahh!" Naruto managed as she took him off his feet and landed on top of him.

He held his head in one hand and pushed himself up with the other. Hinata was sitting up when she saw what she had done, she suddenly took on a new shade of red and her brow creased with both worry and embarrassment.

"O-oh Naruto I am so s-sorry!" and she attempted to pick him up, he winced slightly at the pain in his head but me smiled with one eye closed and calmed her.

"Don't worry about it, I shouldn't have stopped so suddenly, my fault entirely", she still didn't look pleased and held onto his arm for a few seconds longer than necessary which made Naruto blush as much as her.

* * *

They reached Ichiraku's fairly quickly and Naruto held the curtain up on the small ramen shop so that Hinata could walk in.

It was a small cosy place to eat with a small bench with raised chairs much like in a bar but much more relaxed.

Behind the counter an old man was cooking copious amounts of ramen for his favourite customer, ready for when he'd arrive.

He turned slowly to meet the same happy gaze he always saw, but this time something was different, he'd brought someone along.

"Is this the person he was asking me about yesterday?" he thought and his mind flashed back to dinnertime the day before.

* * *

***Flashback***

"Welcome Naruto, need some of my good ol' ramen to start your day?" he said smiling.

"Sure thing pops!" replied Naruto, a large grin on his face "Also I've been meaning to ask you about something that has been on my mind for a while now" he finished, his face now serious.

"Oh, sure thing" replied the old man "What is it you want to ask me about?" Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well you see, I've kind'a got myself into a predicament that I can't for the life of me work out how to solve" he said, he took a huge mouthful of ramen and swallowed it almost whole before carrying on.

"It's about world peace" he said "I promised Pein that I would attempt with all my being to find a way to bring about peace to the Shinobi world" he said.

"Hmmm" the old man thought for a moment about a solution, his grizzled fingers working his wispy old beard.

"Not sure son, doesn't sound like something an old ramen chef like me could help you with heh..." he clicked his fingers suddenly, "I know, you could tell the world about how good my ramen is and I could bring peace and unity to all the Shinobi nations with my glorious cooking!" he held his arms out wide to indicate serving them all.

Naruto burst out laughing, choking on a mouthful of ramen, once he calmed himself and got his ramen back when it was supposed to be he gave the old man a warm smile, "If only it was that simple old man".

He downed the rest of the bowl and dropped some money on the side for him with the usual sizeable tip and was half way out of the shop before he turned around.

"One more thing old man..." Ichiraku looked up from his magazine and raised an eyebrow "Hmm?" "Well..." Naruto began "Um...do you think that...it would be possible for someone as rich and respected as say um...a...member of the Hyuuga clan to...date me...or even like me?".

Ichiraku smiled his old 'You were wise to come to me with my years of experience' kind of look and smiled softly at him and lowered his magazine to the counter and leaned forward.

"Naruto, I think that love is something that status wealth or power cannot prevent. It cannot restrain it and it also cannot hold back your emotions. If you truly love someone, and they feel the same as you in return, not the gods should be able to stop you from being together chap", Ichiraku stood back up with his arms crossed and a huge grin on his face, "That is the kind of answer you were wanting isn't it?"

Naruto's face lit up and he shone with a red tinge, "u-uh yeah it was actually, thanks a lot old man!" and Naruto made his way out of the restaurant and went back to whatever Naruto does.

Behind the curtains of his business, Ichiraku smiled and silently and wished his young friend the best of luck.

***Flashback end***

* * *

Old man Ichiraku stood in silence with a happy smile on his face as Naruto showed his quarry to her seat.

She was the same height and had long blue tinged hair, she also had the distinctive blood-line trait of the Hyuuga clan, the Byakugan.

Naruto smiled politely at her and took a seat next to her, "S-so Hinata, what do fancy? This place isn't the fanciest place in the world but it does the best ramen in Konoha. I'm so glad he managed to get back up and running again so quickly after Pein's attack on the village."

Hinata paused and looked puzzled for a minute and then Naruto caught on, "You can have anything you want Hinata, my treat for always being there, kay?" she turned to him and the two smiled softly at one another.

Ichiraku spoke up at last, "Actually you two, I just got a new shipment in today so this meal is on the house, anything you want absolutely free" Naruto turned with a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"Wow you sure pops, that's so great of you, seriously!" "A-are you sure sir?"Hinata was a little less forward and quiet about it, he liked her instantly for calling him 'sir', he chucked a little.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure, it's my treat and that's the truth. What you people did for us in the leaf, makes my heart full of pride."

The two both smiled at him in unison and quickly began preparing Naruto's 'one of everything' deals when he gave him free meals.

"Hey old man" interjected Naruto, Ichiraku looked up over the top of his work surface "Hmm?", "Can we have just the special for me and the Zenzai and Cinnamon rolls for Hinata here".

"Okay that's fine" he said slowly wary of his sudden maturity.

"Now where is the real Naruto" Ichiraku said with a smile. Naruto laughed and scratched his hair with one hand but didn't answer.

The old man served them up their meals and stood there for a few minutes while they ate before catching Naruto's eye when Hinata wasn't looking and smiling before nodding in approval before departing though the back curtain.

Naruto didn't know why he felt he needed what seemed like the old man's consent to bring someone he cared about in here, but he felt it non-the-less. When they had finished Naruto turned to Hinata and smiled warmly at her.

"S-So um...did you enjoy your meal H-Hinata?" She paused for a moment before speaking up.

"Y-You weren't kidding Naruto...Ichiraku's is pretty good" she finished with a smile of her own.

Naruto exhaled a breath of relief that he'd had to bring her here of all places, but he just didn't have the money, and, he hoped that she would see through the wealth...if she actually felt the same way.

"S-so, um...Hinata" he began; I've...been meaning to ask you something for a long time now".

Hinata began to go red again but managed to suppress most of it, "I see...Naruto" she replied, "W-what was it you needed to know?" hoping desperately that it was both the question she wanted to hear from him and one that she didn't, her nerves where on edge."

"U-umm...well, when you saved me whilst fighting Pein. When he threw you that last time..."Hinata winced, remembering the cold steel rod in her chest and instinctively bringing her hand to it and looking down. "W-when he...brought his hand up and was about to make the action and stopped almost instantly and brought his hand to his eyes and rubbed them with the back of his hands, he began to choke up and Hinata looked at him with surprised, she didn't assume he would have reacted in such a way.

"I-I thought I'd lost you...after what you said, i-it hurt so much." Naruto held his heart with his other hand and squeezed, he looked up at her with wet still around his eyes and Hinata felt herself going that way, and fast. "Hinata..." he began, "I-I...need to know if what you said...did you mean it, or...was it to just to keep me...to keep me going." Naruto wiped his eyes again and Hinata flushed.

"N-Naruto...I meant it...every word" they both began to smile at one another and they both brightened up.

"To think Hinata, all those times I was around you, and...I never even knew...you must think I'm so stupid..."

She shook her head quickly, "N-no...Naruto, I never said anything. I should have, but...I couldn't bring myself to, I was always...so... embarrassed" she began teasing her fingers again and Naruto took a deep breath.

"H-Hinata, would you like to do something like this with me gain...sometime..." Hinata nodded slowly at first but it gained in speed.

"Yes N-Naruto I'd love to". Naruto chuckled a little nervously, "So, would you like me to umm...walk you home?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh...yes please Naruto, its lovely night r-right?" he picked up his smile again "You bet, come on lets go".

He shouted a thank-you to the old man before leaving. Behind his store-room curtain, old man Ichiraku smiled.

* * *

Sakura was walking with Ino delivering the usual batches of medicine to the pharmacies around the village, and the sun was beginning to set and Ino began to make her way home.

Sakura finished the rest of her rounds and was heading home when she rounded the corner to see Naruto and Hinata.

It had been two weeks since they had started seeing each other, and Naruto had seemed to forget his worries about the future. He seemed happier, so did Hinata.

In her too she had noticed a change in the growth of her confidence, now that the thing that made her strong had accepted her, she could continue growing as a person. "Hey you two" she said as she approached, "What are you two up to tonight hmm?" Naruto smiled and chuckled lightly

"Me and Hinata have been doing some training together down by the river, can't let the wait for information on Sasuke get the better of me, I've got to keep myself busy or I'll go nuts!"

Hinata smiled "You were fairly nuts to begin with let's be honest Naruto." Naruto narrowed his eyes at her comment and attempted to look offended at that but failed and gave up half way through, his reply just came out as a sigh. Sakura laughed at him and Hinata simply giggled and pecked him on the cheek to show it was only a joke.

"You know, you two are really cute together right? I haven't a clue why you didn't find each other sooner" she grinned at the pair and walked on past them, "Catch you later!" she called back and continued on home.

Naruto turned back to Hinata and laced his fingers in hers, "Come on Hinata, let's get you home" and they carried on the short walk to the front of the Hyuuga estate.

It took only ten minutes for them to make it to the front door and Naruto wished it had taken longer, but there was always another time.

"Here we are Hinata" he chirped "Thanks for tonight"

"N-no problem Naruto" Hinata replied "Goodnight" Hinata then placed her hands on the side of his face and gave him a short but warm kiss before she opened the door and slipped from his view and the door silently shut behind her.

Naruto sighed heavily for the second time that night, he missed her company already.

He loved her company, sure she was often quiet but that was Hinata.

He loved that he finally had someone to talk to about all his troubles and put all her feelings into everything she said to him.

He smiled "She's almost an exact opposite to me..." he thought, "Maybe she is what I needed all this time..." someone to care, someone to listen, he had always wanted someone like that, he'd never found someone like that until Jiraiya, but even him- one of the legendary Sanin had been taken away from him.

He suddenly recalled the meeting with his father inside his seal and decided to enquire about it with granny Tsunade the next day.

Suddenly a sound came from above him and he looked up in surprise ready for action, but it was just a bird flying overhead.

Naruto relaxed and dropped his guard in case someone saw him being made to look like a fool by a bird.

"Hmm" he said and began walking back down the road towards his apartment.

Once the poisoned needle hit his neck, he dropped like a stone, and his vision descended into blackness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: *Don't own Naruto K?***

**-AN-**

**Managed to get another chappy back!**

**Decided that two chapters for one of the main story is worth it**

**Enjoy (hopefully)**

* * *

**Chapter 3-Clarity**

Naruto stirred and tried to open his eyes, he did so but the darkness still didn't subside.

He let out a breath of air and as he had suspected, it returned upon his face leaving a warm sensation.

He had a bag over his head and had been taken away while he was unconscious and paralyzed from the poisoned needle that had struck his neck.

He still couldn't tell where he was, the darkness being an obvious impairment in that regard, so he tried to listen for something, anything.

Nothing, no matter how much he strained his ears and concentrated, there was nothing to be heard.

At least he could establish one think, no one was coming to save him, or at least not for a while.

He sighed heavily, his mind deep in thought, "Who took me…and why?"

The why presented itself fairly quickly to Naruto; he was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi.

The who however still eluded him. The Akatsuki maybe, perhaps even oorochimaru?

Neither he hoped, both had spelt trouble for him in the past and those troubles could only get worse.

Someone approached; Naruto's heightened senses picking up the quiet footsteps easily.

He heard and eerie creak as the key turned in the lock, after which what seemed like a prison door swung open.

Naruto had knots in his stomach, and certainly not the good kind.

The person stopped and stood still a few feet in front of him, seemingly in consideration before speaking in a hollow dark voice, "Hello Naruto" said Hiashi Hyuuga "The Akatsuki will be here soon, in the meantime, let's talk about you and my daughter" and he brought his knee up into the bottom of his jaw that sent his vision into a thousand stars.

* * *

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

It has been four days since Naruto's disappearance and there had been no clues other the words of Hinata Hyuuga and the old man at Ichirachu's, "Poor two" she thought.

When she had asked them they had immediately began the fret, he had seen Hinata home after being to get ramen and he hadn't come in for his morning ramen fix that day yet.

The Hyuuga heiress mostly though, it was only recently that she had been informed that Naruto and Hinata were now seeing each other and had been for a while now, this however complicated things.

Ever since she was told she had been volunteering for every search party she could that left the leaf.

Tsunade could understand her willingness to help search and her motivation, but she was seriously wearing herself out, she had already collapsed from exhaustion twice.

Then there was the matter of the returned Uchiha.

* * *

Naruto knelt in silence the slow, rhythmic drip-drop of his blood seeping from the large gash in his chest.

By this time, he had worked out that this was not Hisashi, he knew that he didn't really approve of him seeing Hinata, but never figured he would go this far, it had to be some kind of disguised clone.

He had heard of an Akatski that could make a permanent clone like this, but he didn't know why he didn't just leave with him.

Possibly because he would be spotted far too easily and was waiting for the other Akatsuki members to get here to cause a distraction so that Naruto could be taken away from the village. Then, just as suddenly as before, he lost consciousness.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha walked quickly down the street, tailed closely by a pair of Anbu.

Upon returning to the village, he had immediately been apprehended and taken before the Hokage to make amends to his status and to explain his manner of leaving.

He understood now.

Even after claiming his revenge against his brother Itachi, he still felt empty and alone as he had every day since.

The company of the four misfits that he had kept for the majority of his journey could not compare to the love of Sakura, the steady teachings of Kakashi, and the rivalry and friendship of the knucklehead Naruto, though he would probably never say it to him in person.

It was however, that shortly after he got back that he learnt of Naruto's disappearance and requested permission to help in the search for his old teammate.

She had granted him this, but with the condition that he was kept under observation at all times by the Anbu, he begrudgingly accepted.

Sasuke took it upon himself to join Hinata's team, joining with Sakura again, especially in a personal crisis such as this may end up stirring up trouble between them.

They were going to find Naruto, one way or another.

* * *

As they hopped along Sasuke decided to brainstorm some ideas with Hinata about where he may be. "Hinata, where have you searched so far?"

"S-So far we have scoured the village and the main places where he would possibly be, we have also checked outside the village in a ten mile radius, but still...nothing..." Sasuke looked over at her, her face was riddled with worry and it was clear that she was hurting.

"It's okay Hinata, we will find him. You never know, he might have just lost his forehead protector in a high wind and chased on after it after it fell in the river or something" he joked, she didn't take it that way though.

"Is this so funny to you Uchiha, you return after all this time and you expect me to believe that you care?!" she screamed, the sudden outburst taking both Sasuke and the other members of the team Kiba and Shino by surprise.

"I..." Sasuke began but Hinata quickly regained her composure.

"I apologise Sasuke, it was wrong of me to say such things...I just...miss him, I'm afraid what might have happened to keep him away for so long. Even if your idea was the truth, I doubt he'd follow it downstream for two days solid, we both know his patience wouldn't last" she ended with a smile.

He smiled in return, "It's okay, I understand" replied Sasuke with worry now on his own face "Let's just concentrate on finding him then shall we?" she nodded.

"So, have you checked inside any housing, or have you just been taking answers from the villagers as truth?" he quizzed.

She looked at him oddly

"W-What are you getting at Sasuke; do you really think that a villager would be able to subdue Naruto?"

"I don't know Hinata, but answer my question. Is there anywhere secure and quiet enough to hold someone within or in the local area around Konoha, it may be the Akatski, as I heard they where after Jinchuriki, it may be their best bet is to hold out somewhere quiet until we give up looking and then just walking away with him"

Hinata's eyes widen "Y-You think they could do that?" squeaked.

Sasuke nodded "I do"

"Well" Hinata began, formulating all the possibilities in her head, "there are a couple of larger buildings in Konoha with cellars as well as important establishments like the Hokage tower and the Hyuuga estate that have their own small on site prisons...but surely they couldn't have taken him could they? I mean, my father doesn't particularly like Naruto for various reasons, but I don't think he would sink far enough to kidnap him!"

"Well then" Sasuke sighed "at least we have alternate leads that we can go and look at now. Come one guys, let's get a move on" the group then made a U-turn on the spot and began to make their way back to the village.

Sasuke was running along by Hinata's side when he realized something strange.

Kiba is the only person in Konoha loud enough to rival Naruto, yet all this time he hadn't said so much as a word.

He hoped he was wrong but stopped the group.

"Why are we stopping Sasuke?" managed Hinata though labored breaths "we can keep going, at least for n-" she suddenly noticed Sasuke's active sharingan and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Get behind me Hinata" he ordered and drew a Kunai from his arms pouch. 'Kiba' drew one instantly and flung it at Hinata who rolled sideways and dodged it easily.

"W-what, Kiba!?" she began but Sasuke shook his head at her

"No, they are clones of a sort, there is an Akatsuki capable of this but I didn't think he'd risk sending them into Konoha.

He's called Zetsu and these are a special kind of clone that is permanent until death, they even have their own minds."

Sasuke flipped to the side to dodge a host of Shuriken and put his hand to his mouth, "Fire style: fireball Jutsu" a huge spherical ball of fire jetted from his mouth and flew towards the Kiba clone expanding at it neared.

The clone attempted to dodge it by jumping upwards over the Jutsu and throw more Shuriken, but he fell right into the trap.

The moment he crested the fireball Sasuke pulled out a piece of wire with two shuriken on either side, "Chidori" Sasuke yelled as he threw it at the clone.

The electrically charged wire wrapped around the clone and latched to each other trapping it, and with the Chidori still linked to the wire via chakra strings Sasuke increased the voltage and fried the clone thoroughly reducing it to a bubbling sludge.

Sasuke turned to the Shino clone but it just backed away and turned to run.

Hinata darted forward "rotation" she shouted and a swirling vortex enveloped the clone and knocked it into the air where it made itself a target for another of Sasuke's fireball Jutsu's.

All of a sudden it was deathly quiet again, apart from the light crackling sound from the first clone's charred pool, like an oil slick caught alight.

"They are chameleonic" said Sasuke looking over the corpse of the one they had just taken down, its features starting to run down off its body as if it was plastic.

It seems as though they could change at a moment's notice, or at least it seems that way" he turned to Hinata again, "we need to get back to the Hyuuga clan estate right away, I hope I am wrong, but if not, even the elders of your council could be compromised.

* * *

Naruto scrunched his face up again; the pain from his ribs was driving him crazy.

Every breath of air was soaked in the metallic tinge of his own blood, and it hurt like a thousand needles being pressed into his skin as his ribcage moved freely about inside his chest.

He had lost count of how long he had been there, a week maybe? All he wanted was the pain to stop, but he wouldn't give in to the monster that was arriving every half hour to torture him and add another pain to his list.

No.

He wouldn't be allowed to see that side of him, he had cried out only when he had broken his right arm but simply placing his hand on it.

He had used some kind of technique that had shattered the bone completely in that area and it had hurt like nothing else.

The fox had started healing it instantly, but because his arms were chained to the sides of the room it had not fixed right and the fox seemed to have given up on it and moved on to fixing other things instead, but he could feel the effect slowing.

It never had enough time to fix him up before Hisashi came back and reopened all of Naruto's old wounds.

"Speak of the devil" whispered as his torturer unlocked the heavy iron door and walked in with noticeably less blood on him than before.

"You look m-more...presentable than before..."joked Naruto wincing of the pain that came with talking, "didn't...f-forget to wash behind...you...ears did you, hehh-" he suddenly coughed harshly, every bone in him began to ache and blood spattered the ground.

"I've had just about enough of you boy" and Hisashi gave Naruto a punch square to the centre of his face, he felt something snap and fresh blood poured out of his nose.

Naruto gasped for breath but didn't cry out, he wouldn't give in.

The fake smiled "You have a large supply of willpower monster" be began with a sneer, "but I am afraid this is where it finally runs out", as he said the last two words he brought out a fine ornate sword, the head of the Hyuuga family's sword, Naruto grit his teeth hard as his torturer pressed the blade into the shoulder of his uninjured arm harder every second until it drew blood.

"I'm afraid I've been ordered to bring you back as what may be considered a corpse" he grinned at Naruto's sudden reaction, his eyes widening.

"D-don't you need me alive for the Kyuubi?" he stuttered, not in fear but in pain.

He regretted it though, it probably gave off the sense that he was scared; he guessed he was right as the fakes grin grew ever more.

"Yes we do, but if I only kill you to the point that your body becomes comatose then I would have no problem getting you out.

I wouldn't be killing you per say but you might as well be."

Naruto winced again as Hiashi brought the sword in long shallow cuts across his chest, passing over his ribs and sending spikes of pain through his whole body.

Hiashi approached Naruto and went down on one knee a foot from his face.

"If the human body looses too much blood, it turns a lot of its functions onto standby and you go into a coma, that what I intend to do.

The fox has no intention to die, so it will keep healing you, and that is why I can simply..." Naruto scrunched his eyes up, half in pain and half in confusion, why did he stop mid sentence...then he felt the cold steel press to his chest. His eyes flew wide in panic as the blade was plunged horizontally right through his stomach.

"Sleep tight daemon, called Hisashi as he made his way from the room.

Naruto lifted his head slightly before the door was closed to see Kiba, Shino and...Hiashi in the room opposite, the petrified look on their faces, directed at him, it was too much to bear, the pain quickly became too much and he blacked out the sound of his chains jingling and his friends screaming his name.


End file.
